Pivoted speculum with fluid tube



March'23, 1954 --JONES PIVOTED SPECULUM WITH FLUID TUBE Filed March 27,1952 Patented Mar. 23, 1954 "9x1;

OFFICE PIVOTED SPECULUM WITH FLUID TUBE Paul L. Jones, Flat River, Mo.

Application March 27, 1952, Serial No. 278,846

1 Claim.

v The present invention relates to surgical appliances, and moreparticularly'has reference to vaginal specula provided with means todispel the smoke generated by cauterizing' operations, thereby affordingthe surgeon a clear field of vision throughout the operation.

Of course it is well known that in operations of this character thcauterization of the tissues produces a considerable amount of smoke,and in order to prevent accidental burning of other tissues and organs,it is necessary that the surgeon stop the operation until the smoke isgradually dissipated. Needless to say, it is not desirable for a surgeonto continue the operation while the smoke is present, since theoperation will be conducted blindly and thus subject thepatient toserious injury.

Consequently, it can be seen that such operations are unduly extended asto time by virtue of the presence of the smoke, and an important objectof the present invention is to provide a speculum which will overcomethe abov and other objectionable features currently present in the art.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a speculumwherein the lower blade member is provided with means for conducting airfrom a suitable source of supply and discharge the air at a point inproximity to the nose or front end of the blade and thus dispel thesmoke which has been generated by the cauterizing operation.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a speculumof the character described wherein the air conduit is formed in the bodyof the lower blade, the conduit being provided with means for connectionto a suitable source of air supply.

And yet a further object of the invention is to provide a means fordispelling smok generated during the course of cauterizing operationswhich may be readily incorporated with conventional specula with aminimum of modification of the lower blade of such specula.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists inthe details of construction, and in the arrangement and combination ofparts to be hereinafter mor fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawings forming part of this application, wherein likecharacters denote corresponding parts in the several views and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the Graves vaginal speculumconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figur 2 is a view in perspective of the speculum shown in Figure l, withthe upper blade moved away from the lower blade, th air conduit of thelower blade being shown in dash and full lines.

Figures 3 is a rear elevational view of the speculum shown in Figure 1,and

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure3, the view looking in the direction of the arrows.

As shown in Figure 1, the speculum includes a lower blade 19 having ahandle portion II integrally formed therewith, an upper blade I2, s.pivotal connection l3 between the respective blades, an adjustable stopI4 for limiting the degree of pivotal movement of the upper blade [2away from the lower blade l0, and I5 denotes generally the means fordispelling'the smoke during the operation.

The pivotal connection l3 between the blades l0 and 12 includes a yokel6 having an integral extension I! depending therefrom, the extensionbeing grooved longitudinally, as shown at l8, for fitting over a rib l9formed on the handle II. This arrangement will prevent any lateraldisplacement of the yoke, and an elongated slot 20 merges with thegroove, and a screw 2| extending through the handle and rib I9 isadapted to project through the slot 20. A wing nut 22 engages the screw2|, and manifestly, the position of the yoke with respect to the upperlimit of the lower blade II) can be adjusted by this particulararrangement.

The rear end of the upper blade I2 is pivoted to each arm of the yoke,as shown at 23, and an arm 24 extends downwardly from the blade I2. Thearm '24 constitutes a part of the adjustable stop l4 and, as best shownin Figure l, a threaded rod 25 pivotally connected to one arm of theyoke I6, as at 26, projects through a slot 21 in the arm. A nut 28having a knurled ring 29 engages the threads of the bolt between the endof the bolt and the arm, and the location of th nut on the boltdetermines the spaced position between the upper blade and the lowerblade.

The blades [0 and I2 are preferably of a suitable plastic and the yokeis a light-weight metal 'pelling means I5, are conventional.

The smoke dispelling device I5 includes a tubular extension 30integrally formed with the lower blade In in proximity to its point ofjuncture with the handle II, the lower end of the extension beingreduced to define a nipple 3| to which one end of a flexible conduit 32is attached. The opposite end of the conduit 32 communicates with a.source of air supply (not shown).

The tubular extension is provided with duct 33 which communicates with apassageway 34 in the lower blade Hi, the passageway extendinglongitudinally of the blade adjacent one edge thereof, as bestillustrated in Figure 2, and communicates with a crescent-shaped opening35 at the front or nose end of the lower blade. Consequently, it will beappreciated that air forced into the passageway 34 will be dischargedthrough the opening 35 and, as a consequence, dispel the air during theoperation.

The free end of the tube 32 can be connected, as above mentioned, to asuitable source of air and this assembly is preferably a portablesuction-pressure pump and motor generally available in the operatingrooms of hospitals and doctors ofiices, although, of course, otherconvenient means may be employed.

While the air dispelling device has been described with particularreference to the fGraves speculum, it is, of course, to be understoodthat it is not thus limited and can be readily incorporated with alltypes of specula such as the Auvard Weighted Speculum, the NationalNeicomoid Graves Speculum, etc.

From the foregoing description, it is believed manifest that the presentinvention provides a relatively simple means for continuouslydischarging air from the front or nose end of the speculum during thecauterizing operation, thus continuously dispelling the smoke generatedduring the operation, thereby reducing materially the time required forthe cauterization and at the same time affording the surgeon a clearfield of vision. The air dispelling means may be readily and easilyincorporated with the lower blade structure of all types of speculaWithout increasing materially the cost of manufacture of the item andwithout th necessity of employing expensive equipment for the successfuland efficient operation of the speculum.

This invention is not to be confined to any strict conformity with theshowing in the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as suchchanges or modification mark no material departure from the salientfeatures of the invention, as expressed in the appended claim.

I claim:

A speculum comprising a lower blade, an upper blade, a pivotalconnection between the upper blade and the lower blade and means todischarge air from the nose end of the lower blade, such means includinga passageway formed in the body of the blade extending longitudinally ofand adjacent to one of the sides of the lower blade, means defining adischarge opening at the nose of the lower blade communicating with oneend of the passageway, and a tubular conduit integrally formed with thelower blade at a point remote from the nose end of the lower blade andcommunicating with the opposite end of the passageway, the said tubularconduit being adapted to be connected with a source of air whereby theair may be introduced into the passageway for discharge through theopening at the nose end of the lower blade.

PAUL L. JONES.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 942,523 Sawyer Dec. 7, 1909 1,388,421 Foregrave Aug. 23, 19212,243,285 Pope May 27, 1941 2,483,233 Price et al.,..1 Sept. 2'7, 1949

